Runescape developer Jagex acquired by Carlyle Group

Jagex, the UK-based developer behind the MMO hit Runescape, has been acquired by The Carlyle Group. This marks the third time that Jagex has been acquired by another company. It was first bought in 2016 by Hongtou, a Chinese investment company. Jagex was then sold in May 2020 to Macarthur Fortune Holding.

However, the Carlyle Group may be the largest owner that Jagex has found itself under. The Carlyle Group is one of the world’s largest global investment firms, managing a whopping $230 billion USD of assets. The firm is planning on using its resources to support Jagex well into the future as it continues to grow the RuneScape franchise.

A press release on the acquisition also revealed that Jagex would use the added support from the Carlyle Group to launch new titles. It’s not clear if those titles will also be part of the RuneScape franchise. However, Jagex will be growing its bread-and-butter game for some time according to Jagex CEO Phil Mansell. “I am so proud that Jagex is teaming up with Carlyle, a prestigious investment group that believes in the potential of Jagex, our vision for growth, and will support us in accelerating our multi-year growth strategy,” Mansell said. Jagex will also use its “expertise to publish third-party games from like-minded online game developers, and invest in the incredible tech and talent that powers this all.”

RuneScape’s anniversary acquisition

The acquisition of Jagex by the Carlyle Group couldn’t have come at a better time. Jagex recently announced its plans for the 20-year anniversary of RuneScape, which includes a massive year-long run of different events and content drops. The first leg of this anniversary celebration begins today with the release of the first installment of “Once Upon A Time,” a multi-part quest. Completing the quest will earn players Relomia’s Party Hat, an ode to the game’s famous paper crowns.